Abstract: When an electron beam is used to effect a process at two adjacent surface areas of a target, such as a semiconductor wafer coated with an electron sensitive resist, various alignment errors can occur, such as where the wafer becomes distorted. The provision of a reference marker, for example a square-etched depression, at the surface of the target between the areas of the target enables the detection of any such distortion. After carrying out the process at one of the areas, an electron beam with a rectangular-shaped spot is directed, in turn, toward the predetermined positions of two mutually transverse sides of the reference marker. In the absence of any alignment error, the beam spot overlies the side in question in order to overlap the marker and the area of the target in the immediate vicinity.

Abstract: When an electron beam is used to effect a process at two adjacent surface areas of a target, such as a semiconductor wafer coated with an electron sensitive resist, various alignment errors can occur including wafer distortion. The provision of a reference marker, for example a square-etched depression, at the surface of the target between the adjacent surface areas enables detection of any misalignment. Thus, after effecting the process at one of the areas, an electron beam having substantially the same size and shape as the reference marker is directed toward the predetermined position of the reference marker. Back-scattered electrons are then detected to give a signal representative of any deviation between the actual position and the predetermined position of the reference marker so that the electron beam can be correctly aligned before carrying out the process at the second of the two surface areas.

Abstract: A channel plate electron multiplier of the discrete dynode type formed from conductive sheets which are stacked in closely spaced relation. Each sheet is perforated with apertures which are aligned to form electron multiplying channels. The apertures in each sheet have input and output and cross sections which are approximately the same size and a concave shaped inner surface profile which causes a majority of electrons to strike the inner surface close to the output end, whereby the gain of the multiplier is increased.

Abstract: An electron image projection mask consisting of an optical mask comprising a transparent substrate, bearing an opaque mask pattern disposed on the substrate, a transparent coating extending over the mask pattern and the areas of the substrate exposed through the apertures in the opaque mask pattern, and a metal image extending over the transparent coating. The metal image has a pattern corresponding to the apertures in the opaque mask pattern, the optical density of the metal image being such as to reduce the average light transmission through the apertures in the mask to a value between 25 and 80% of the average light transmission of the apertures in the absence of the metal image. Also, a method of producing the electron image projection mask.